Lawyers for the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, which filed the lawsuit to declare the area as public, and lawyers for 26 individuals and two companies that own the property, said a trial was not necessary.

Stern said lawyers for both sides had raised questions that could only be settled by analyzing evidence during a trial.

The state claims the original five owners of the land intended the beach area to be open to the public.

The current property owners say the beach area was never intended to be public.